Namibia: Namibia Yet to Develop Circular Economy Policy

What the report says

Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says the country has not yet completed a national circular economy policy, according to The Namibian report distributed by AllAfrica. Ministry spokesperson Vilho Hangula said work on the policy is still at an early stage, although a consultant has been brought in to help move the process forward. The ministry also said budget constraints have slowed progress, but it is trying to advance the initiative.

The article says the issue is part of a broader push to shift Namibia toward more sustainable use of resources, waste reduction and recycling. Tourism minister Indileni Daniel said in May that a policy was being developed with the Environmental Investment Fund, with the goal of integrating circular economy thinking into sectors such as energy, waste and industrial development. EIF official Karl Aribeb said the move toward a circular model linked to renewable energy should be treated as an immediate development option rather than a distant goal.

The report also notes outside support from Finland, which has backed capacity-building work in Namibia through universities and local partners. That cooperation focused on building expertise in circular economy models, especially around bio-based and recycling-based materials. More broadly, a circular economy is generally understood as a system that keeps materials in use longer through sharing, repair, reuse and recycling, though the article says Namibia’s formal policy remains unfinished.